Communications on July. 27, 2001
* Religious & Civic Groups Launch a Joint Campaign for Life Ethics Law
While the government is showing lukewarm attitude regarding the establishment of the Life Ethics Law the religious circles and civic groups urged the government to prompt enactment of the law.
On July 19, 48 civic and religious groups including 23 Catholic organizations formed a joint campaign to push prompt enactment of the basic life ethics law and held a press conference at Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul.
In a joint statement the representatives of the campaign urged the government and the National Assembly to pass the Law in the coming session of the National Assembly in Fall as they promised.
"Life science and technology are jeopardizing fundamental human rights and dignity of human person including animal rights which deserve proper protection. Without moral support, the general progress of life science and technology including technology of life cloning and treatment of sterilization will become in the end a science not for humanity but for mere interest." the statement read.
"Despite its promise the government is keeping lukewarm measure to establish life ethics law because of pressure of certain life scientists and life engineering industries by saying that it is 'premature' talking about enactment of life ethics law. Such irresponsible attitude of the government disappoints us. It has promised to enact the law within this year, however, even the first draft has not done yet. This is breaching promise with people." campaigners remarked.
23 Catholic member groups include three committees of the CBCK(Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, Committee for Justice and Peace and the Bioethics Committee), the Korean Catholic Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women, Lay Apostolate Council of Korea and Catholic Women's Study Center.
Rev. Lee Tong-ik, Professor of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of Seoul, spoke for Catholic position.
* Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters of Seoul Archdiocese in Full Swing
The Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters(DCH) under the Social Pastoral Ministry of Seoul Archdiocese (Dir. Rev. Kim Hong-jin) made emergency aids of 15,000,000 won($11,538) to Sangbong Parish, Guri Parish and Samsungsan Parish, 5,000,000 won($3,846) to each parish on July 19. These three parishes were most severely hit by recent heavy rainfall.
Seoul Archdiocese has established the Disaster Countermeasure Funds(DCF) when northern Kyong-gi area was severely hit by flood damage in 1998 and 1999, and this year's relief fund was taken from this funds.
"Our target is to raise the fund up to 100,000,000 won ($76,923) for this year and train emergency personnel for disaster countermeasures." DCH official said.
"We intend to help victims of flood for six months of period and provide them necessary helps." said Rev. Choi Bu-shik, undersecretary of the Social Welfare Department of the Archdiocesan office.
This year, the DCH extended spectrum of disasters from damages caused by flood, drought and heavy snow fall to that of arson, explosion, environmental pollution etc.
According to the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters, 35 people in Seoul, 4 in Inchon and 27 in Kyonggi Province were killed, or are still missing, after week-long torrential rains in mid-July.
A total of 77,809 houses were affected by the floods, 145 were partially or totally destroyed and some 2,600 hectares of farmland were inundated.
While the government is showing lukewarm attitude regarding the establishment of the Life Ethics Law the religious circles and civic groups urged the government to prompt enactment of the law.
On July 19, 48 civic and religious groups including 23 Catholic organizations formed a joint campaign to push prompt enactment of the basic life ethics law and held a press conference at Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul.
In a joint statement the representatives of the campaign urged the government and the National Assembly to pass the Law in the coming session of the National Assembly in Fall as they promised.
"Life science and technology are jeopardizing fundamental human rights and dignity of human person including animal rights which deserve proper protection. Without moral support, the general progress of life science and technology including technology of life cloning and treatment of sterilization will become in the end a science not for humanity but for mere interest." the statement read.
"Despite its promise the government is keeping lukewarm measure to establish life ethics law because of pressure of certain life scientists and life engineering industries by saying that it is 'premature' talking about enactment of life ethics law. Such irresponsible attitude of the government disappoints us. It has promised to enact the law within this year, however, even the first draft has not done yet. This is breaching promise with people." campaigners remarked.
23 Catholic member groups include three committees of the CBCK(Committee for Family Pastoral Ministry, Committee for Justice and Peace and the Bioethics Committee), the Korean Catholic Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women, Lay Apostolate Council of Korea and Catholic Women's Study Center.
Rev. Lee Tong-ik, Professor of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of Seoul, spoke for Catholic position.
* Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters of Seoul Archdiocese in Full Swing
The Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters(DCH) under the Social Pastoral Ministry of Seoul Archdiocese (Dir. Rev. Kim Hong-jin) made emergency aids of 15,000,000 won($11,538) to Sangbong Parish, Guri Parish and Samsungsan Parish, 5,000,000 won($3,846) to each parish on July 19. These three parishes were most severely hit by recent heavy rainfall.
Seoul Archdiocese has established the Disaster Countermeasure Funds(DCF) when northern Kyong-gi area was severely hit by flood damage in 1998 and 1999, and this year's relief fund was taken from this funds.
"Our target is to raise the fund up to 100,000,000 won ($76,923) for this year and train emergency personnel for disaster countermeasures." DCH official said.
"We intend to help victims of flood for six months of period and provide them necessary helps." said Rev. Choi Bu-shik, undersecretary of the Social Welfare Department of the Archdiocesan office.
This year, the DCH extended spectrum of disasters from damages caused by flood, drought and heavy snow fall to that of arson, explosion, environmental pollution etc.
According to the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters, 35 people in Seoul, 4 in Inchon and 27 in Kyonggi Province were killed, or are still missing, after week-long torrential rains in mid-July.
A total of 77,809 houses were affected by the floods, 145 were partially or totally destroyed and some 2,600 hectares of farmland were inundated.